Understanding Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — Dr. David Greene Arizona
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, also known as ALS. It causes loss of muscle control and gets worse with time. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the famous baseball player who suffered from it. Some cases are inherited, but their exact cause is still unknown.
This disease starts with muscle weakness in your arm or leg. It also affects control of the muscles like moving, eating, speaking, and breathing.
Symptoms
This disease varies from person to person and mainly depends on the nerve cells that get affected. ALS starts in the hands, arms, feet, and legs and then spreads to other parts. As more nerve cells die, muscles get weaker. It affects swallowing, speaking, breathing, chewing, and more. In the early stages, there is no pain. It doesn’t affect bladder control, the ability to smell, taste, touch, hear, and more.
Its symptoms are -
- Difficulty walking or performing regular chores.
- Trips and falls.
- Weakness in the legs, foot, and ankles.
- Hand weakness
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- Weakness due to muscle spasms and twitching in the arms, shoulders, and tongue.
- Unexpected tears, laughter, or yawning.
- Mental or behavioral changes.
Causes -
ALS affects the nerve cells, also called motor neurons. These cells control our voluntary muscle movements and are divided into two groups — upper motor neurons and lower motor neurons. The upper motor neurons extend from the brain to the spinal cord to muscles throughout the body. The lower spinal cord extends from the spinal cord to muscles throughout the body.
When both groups of motor neurons gradually get weaker and die -then ALS occurs. These motor neurons stop sending messages to the muscles when they get damaged. As a result, the muscles stop functioning.
Genetics -There are 10% hereditary cases of ALS with a risk gene from a family member, and they have a probability of 50% that their offspring will acquire the gene.
Age — After 75 age, the risk of ALS increases, and it ranges between the ages of 60 and mid-80s.
Dr. David Greene’s Contribution
Dr. David Greene Arizona is a well-known regenerative medicine professional. He has spent his career developing new therapies for neurological diseases such as ALS and more. His innovative research and clinical practice have examined the possibility of stem cell therapy for treating ALS. Stem cells have the unusual ability to develop into multiple cell types, making them great candidates for replacing injured or destroyed motor neurons in ALS patients.
He believes that by harnessing the regenerative ability of r3 stem cells
, he might halt the progression of ALS, improve motor function, and improve the overall quality of life for ALS patients.
ALS is a difficult and life-threatening illness. It presents significant difficulties for both patients and caregivers. Presently, there is no cure for ALS, but continued research and innovation provide confidence for the development of innovative medicines that could one day change the ALS treatment landscape.
In Arizona, Dr. David Greene is providing an unwavering commitment to expanding regenerative medicine, allowing him to continue leading the fight against ALS. He is providing hope and healing to individuals and families affected by this painful disease.